Earlier this month, we spoke about getting homes ready for the cold. Businesses have the same job to do — maybe even more so. Restaurants, cafés, shops and warehouses right across our service area of East Kilbride and Glasgow come under real pressure when the frost sets in. Once the weather turns, you’ll often find rodents and insects trying to sneak inside for heat and shelter. Busy places like commercial kitchens or storage units are ideal for them, so they don’t hang about outdoors for long.
At Strathclyde Pest Control, our team of local pest controllers deal with this every winter, helping businesses from East Kilbride to the M8 corridor keep things running clean and pest-free. Here’s a straightforward checklist to help your premises stay ready this winter.
Why Winter Pests Threaten Businesses
When the cold hits, pests don’t disappear — they just move indoors. Warehouses and prep rooms are cosy spots for pests once the chill hits. Like us humans all most pests need is some warmth and a bit of food whether discarded food or even a few crumbs or two and they’ll soon make themselves at home. Pest activity often starts small but before you know it those small signs have become a full blown infestation. These types of infestations can destroy stock, affect your hygiene ratings and more! However with a bit of forward thinking you can protect your staff, your customers, and your good business name. Let’s dive into what you can do…
Your Winter Pest Control Checklist for Commercial Premises
1. Inspect Delivery Areas and Storage Rooms
A lot of pest problems start at the back door. Deliveries, pallets or open loading bays make it easy for them to slip inside unnoticed. Have a quick look over incoming goods — droppings, chewed packaging or torn sacks are all warning signs. Keep things off the floor and away from the walls, and don’t forget the small entry points under skirting or around pipework. Good housekeeping and regular rodent control checks make all the difference and are the backbone of proper commercial pest management.
2. Secure Waste and Food Disposal Points
Bins at the rear of restaurants or takeaways can cause endless trouble if they’re not looked after. Rats and mice will find their way to that leftover food in no time at all! So, keep lids secured tight and clean around the area daily if possible. Another good tip is to try and move bins a bit further from doors if you can, this helps separate any pest visitors from obvious entry points. All of this is part of good waste and hygiene management, and one of the simplest preventative measures you can take to avoid expensive callouts later.
3. Protect Roof Spaces, Basements and Ducting
Rats, mice and pigeons don’t stick to one level — they use roof spaces, lower levels like basements if you have one along with wall cavities and ducting to move around unseen. Check any vents and seal them properly with mesh. For bigger sites or older buildings, you might need a full extermination and exclusion plan. Bird control methods are essential too, especially where pigeons nest under solar panels or beams. Advance planning can save a lot of mess and damage throughout the winter.
4. Keep Staff Vigilant and Informed
Your team can be your best line of defence. They are often the ones who will first notice a smell, droppings or scratching in the walls. So make sure everyone knows what to look for and who to tell if they spot something that might look like pest activity. A quick winter refresher about the signs can help keep your staff aware and stop small issues from becoming full pest infestations. We’ve made a handy chart for you to use with your staff to explain the basic signs to look out for…
5. Schedule Professional Risk Assessments
The Food Hygiene Regulations 2006 and COSHH require commercial contracts to keep proper pest management records. Regular pest control inspections show you’re compliant and doing things right. We can help you, our team leader Ben will help you carry out any needed pest control inspections to make sure your records are up to date, he’s been around long enough to spot the early signs others might miss. We’ll give you a clear report and can suggest a plan that fits your site without disrupting your business.
Consider a Winter Pest Control Contract
If your place is busy all week or handles food, one visit won’t cut it. A winter pest control contract means steady monitoring, detailed paperwork and tailored pest solutions that suit your building. We look after businesses across Glasgow and in the Strathclyde area — from small cafés to warehouses — keeping them covered all year.
Why Choose Strathclyde Pest Control
We’re a local, family-run pest management company that knows how Glasgow winters go. Our pest controllers use safe, approved products and practical, humane pest solutions that work. Whether it’s rodent control, squirrels, ants, flies, or bird control, we keep things simple, discreet and professional. Every inspection is thorough and backed up with the paperwork Environmental Health and insurers expect.
Stay Protected All Winter
Winter pest control isn’t just about extermination — it’s about keeping your good reputation intact. Acting early and keeping up with regular pest control service visits means fewer surprises later. Protect your staff, customers and stock with a proper plan in place. For reliable pest control across Glasgow and East Kilbride, give Strathclyde Pest Control a call — we’ll make sure your site stays clean, safe and pest-free right through winter.
Frequently Asked Winter Commercial Pest Control Questions
What is commercial winter pest control and why does it matter?
It’s basically making sure your business stays pest-free once the cold hits. During winter, rodents and insects look for shelter indoors, and places like restaurants or warehouses give them just that. Good pest management through the winter keeps your stock, staff and reputation safe, and saves a lot of hassle later.
Why do pests move into commercial buildings in winter?
When it’s freezing outside, pests like rats, mice and even birds look for heat and food sources. Kitchens, bin stores and basements tick all the boxes. Once they are in they are unlikely to move out without help. This is why regular checks from a pest controller are so important.
Which pests give Glasgow businesses the most trouble over winter?
Most of the calls we get are for rats and mice, but we also deal with cockroaches, pigeons and occasionally cluster flies. Every year’s a bit different, but these are the ones that keep our phones going when the temperature drops.
How does cold weather change pest behaviour indoors?
Cold snaps push pests closer to heating pipes, boiler rooms and storage areas. They don’t stop breeding completely — they just slow down and hunker in. That’s why we often find signs of activity in quieter corners of buildings rather than outdoors.
How is winter pest control different from other times of year?
In the warmer months, most work is outside — wasps, ants, that sort of thing. Winter’s more about proofing and prevention. We focus on rodent control, sealing entry points and keeping a pest-free environment until spring rolls round.
What methods actually work best in winter?
There’s no magic spray — it’s about doing the basics right. We use rodent-proof mesh, proper sealing around vents, and monitoring stations to track movement. Everything we do follows UK safety rules and aims to solve problems without heavy chemicals.
How do businesses keep on top of pest control during the colder months?
Most places we look after are on commercial contracts. That means we visit regularly, tidy up proofing work, and keep records for Environmental Health. It’s steady maintenance rather than crisis control, which saves money in the long run.